Electrical connecter device



' 1,618, Feb'- 22 1927' R. B. BENJAMIN 909 ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE Filed Feb. 23, 1922 "llllil'la l Ilmllllllll;

f VPlien-ad Feb'. 22,1921'.

tween two main feed wires.-

RLUB'I'IN 1a. BENJAMIN, premesso, ILLINOIs, AssIeNoa 'ro BENJAMIN LLLc'IBIo naNUrac'ruaINe congrua-or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, acoarom'rIoN or ILLINoIs.

IILncTaIcaL coNNIIc'rIaza` nnvIcn.

application anni schraal-512s, 1922. 'semi No. 538,715.

My invention relates to electrical, connecter devices, and more particularlytoelectrical connecter devices suitable for use where it is desired to connect a number of small lights, such as are used for Christmas tree ornaments, or the like, in parallel be- One of the objects ofmy invention 4is to "provide'such a connecter which will permit of ready .connection and disconnection ofthe individuallamp sockets and branch wlres.

" A further object of my invention is tol provide such a c'onnecter device which will be durable and eilicient in use, simple in con:`

struction and cheap to manufacture.

Further objects will appear from the de# tailed descriptidnftd. follow, and from the appended claims." l v l In the drawing in which an embodiment of my'inventionisshowni 1 re: 1 is` a side` elevation lof an electrica connecter' device;

- Fig. 2 is an axial sectionl on the line lFig. 3 is a section on the line of the lower `Acap removed-z Figx is a view ofthe under sideof the up creamy ig. 7 is a l.'ew of the upper sideof the lower cap; v

...slFig 8 1s a perspective view showin'grone'of the blade-engaging contacts, and

lFi 9 'is a slde view of one of the contact blades.

. i Referring now to the drawings in detail,

the construction shown therein comprises 'an electrical connecter device secured to the main feed wires 10, and serving to c`onnect., the branch'wii'es 11 'with the main feedwires 10. A number of 4these connecters 12 may be strung along the main feed wires. 1 0 toconnect vany vdesirednumber of lamps par-` allel between the-feedwires 10.

lThe cap member 13 off the connecter 1'2 is" gr l fthe other, to vpullgthem apart.

In ii-ing th device,'the cap member 13 y is withdrawn, the cap 20 is disconnected 105 from the body or'base 19 by unscrewing the provided with a pair ofcontact'blades 14,?, which can be plugged in-t engage with 'contact members 15' which are connectedwith the feed wires 10 respectively; The blades 14 '.,through which the A1am 19. An insulating cap 2O is provided secured to housethem.

connection with the bla es 14.

In order to relieve the strain on the con-r nection between the wire 11 and the contact blade 14, the wire 11 is Jled around the edge. of the contact blade 14 and secured to that side of the contact bladewhich is farthest from-the axial opening 17, as by. soldering -or in .any suitable manner as indicated at 18.- The bending of the wire around the edge of the contact blade prevents a direct pullbeing exerted on the wiringtconnection and thus relieves the strain.

vThe blade-engaging contacts 15 are mount.

Vires 11 pass for u .ed in suit-able recesses in an insulating base to the insulating base 19', this `ca extend- -ing lacross the recesses in which t e bladelengaging'contacts 15 are located, and serving e cap 20 may-be secure to the base 19v by means of a screw 21 -extending through registerin openings inthe baseand cap and threade into the nut 22 embeddedinthe cap 20.

As shown in Fig. 4, the insulating base 19 is provided-.With grooves 23, leading from one slde to the other of the'base, an'd past the blade-engaging contacts 15, these. ooves 23 affording a assage'for the mam feed wires 10 whichl ie between the base 19 and .cap 20.

Each 'blade-engaging contact 1.5 as shown in Fig. 8,'com-prises a U-shaped stamping,

havin one end provided at 24 withfmeans to facilitate the securing thereto ofthe feed wires 10, andhaving its other end extendin into a recess 26 in the cap 20`which. aiords c earance for the movement of this' free end'of the contact. The feed wire l10 'is secured tothe bladeengagi'ng contiiifltl 15 by baring "a portion-of the wire and pleo#- ing it between the lugs 27 and 28 formed at one `end of the stamping.

`- In orde" to facilitate thejwithdrawal of the cap-13, the cap and base'` 19 may beprovided with finger'` notches 29 and 30 re asped, one "in onehand and the' other in 'screw' 21, the feed -wires10 are bared at. the

"um ktivelyy-whereby the .parts may be rea ily in proper position with respect to the lugs 27 and'28, the wires 10 are placedin Athe grooves 23 provided for them, and the cap 20 is placed in position and secured byineans of the screw 21. l

Any number of these connectersbmay be applied to the feed wires at,a'ny V desired point along the line, eachone ofith'ese 'con-y necters afordin an outlet for a small elec, tric lamp whic may be connected to ,the wires 11. f A Y Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secfure by Let-- ters Patent ofthe United States is: v 1. n electrical outlet comprising a housing and a closure therefor, oppositely dise posedl ooves therein for the reception of a' dup ex electrical conductor, oppositely disposed recesses in'said housing extending therethrough on either side of the axis of said grooves, plug contacts seated within said recesses, land adapted to receive corresponding plugs through the outer ends of `said recesses, and means carried by the inner ends of said plu contacts to engage the two wires respective y of said' conductor, said wires being diverged within the housing and disposed on'either side of the central axis,

'said housing and closure having a. longitudinal hole extending therethrough for the reception of a common fastening means. 2. A11 electrical outlet comprising a housing anda closure therefor, oppositely disposed transverse grooves therein for the re! ception of a duplex electrical conductor, oppositely disposed recesses in said housing on either side of said rooveskand extending longitudinally throug said housing, `plug contacts seated within said recesses and adapted y to receive corresponding plugs through the outer ends of said recesses, and means carried by the inner ends of said plug contacts ,to engage' the two wires re# spectively of sid conductor, said wires being divergpd within the housing and dis osed on eit er side of the central axis, said ousing and closure-having a longitudinal holej extending therethrough for the'reception of a common fastening means, lsaid closure adapted to engage said plu contacts to maintain the same within sai housingT 3. An electrical outlet comprising a housing and a closure therefor, oppos1tely clis-` posed transverse groovesI therein forthe. reception of a duplex electrical conduct0r,"op positely disposed recesses in said housing on either side of said grooves and extending longitudinally through said housing, contacts seated withinsaid recesses and adapted to receive; corresponding plugs through the outer'tendsof said recesses, and means car-V ried by` the innerl ends of said plug contacts to engage the two wires respectively of said conductor, said wires being diverged within therethrough on either side ofthe axis Aof said grooves, plug contacts seated within said recesses, and adapted to receive corresponding plugs through the outer ends'of said recesses, and means carried by the innerends-of, said plug contacts to engage the two wires respectively of said conductor,

said wires being diverged within the lions- A l ing and disposed on either side of the central axis, said housing and closure' having means for securing them together.

5. An electrical outlet comprising a lions-1,*` v

ing and a closurel therefor, voppositely disposed transverse grooves therein for the re ception of a duplex electrical conductor, op-

positely disposed recesses in said 'housing on either side of-said grooves `and 'extending' longitudinally through said housing, con-` tacts seated within said recesses and adapted to receive corresponding plugs through the outer ends of said recesses, and means -ca`i'`n ried by the inner endsof said plug contacts to engage the two wiresv respectively of said conductor, said wires being diverged within the housing and ,disposed on either side of the central axis, said housing and closure having means fonsecuring them together.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMiN.- 

